Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 waterproof?

Getting a higher IP rating continues to be a huge challenge with foldables

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Z Flip 6 were the only two foldables for a while to sport an IP48 rating. This was a big achievement for foldables and Samsung led the charge on this. An IPX8 rating which guarantees protection against only liquids, was also something Samsung pioneered. The first number in the rating denotes protection against solid particles, and the higher it goes (up to 6) the better the device is able to stay protected against much smaller solid particles or dust.

An IP48 rating ensures the device can survive ingress of solid particles larger than 1mm, which technically isn’t dust. For that, we need an IP58 or IP68 rating, which is the gold standard. Going by the current leaks and rumors surrounding the Galaxy Z Fold 7, all we know is that it’s expected to have “improved dust and water resistance.” This technically means we should be expecting a higher IP rating, at least for the dust part of it.

Sealing off a foldable from water and dust is immensely challenging since there’s a massive hinge to contend with, which contains multiple moving parts and intricate mechanisms. Finding a way to block dust from entering the small gaps can be very tricky. We have no doubt Samsung has been working on a way to make its foldables properly IP68-rated one day, but whether that’ll happen with the Z Fold 7 remains to be seen.